Grantville Gazette. Volume XX (ring of fire) Read online

  As they headed over to talk to Chief Frost, Marvin asked, "I know it is my turn, but would you drive? I want to look through the things I found in the pack."

  Juergen was a bit surprised. Since he had learned to drive, they had practiced a strict rotation on driving. Plus, Marvin seemed depressed. "Marvin, is something wrong?"

  "You mean other than having a four-legged monster try to break my neck all morning, and spending the last hour looking at a man's insides? Yes, there is. If we don't figure this case out, you know we'll be the laughing stock of the whole town. But if we do figure it out, we'll be the first ones called whenever someone manages to get himself killed. Working a homicide case is damn depressing. I hoped the Cooper case would be our only one."

  Juergen couldn't understand what was bothering his partner. As far as he was concerned, this was the best part of police work. Solving a crime, finding the bad guys, making an arrest that was what made everything else worth doing.

  After they told Chief Frost what they had found and what they wanted to do next, he waved them to a cruiser. "Take Ralph's cruiser. He can ride back to the station with me. I'll put out a BOLO on the Hart brothers and have them come to the office."

  Ralph had a bit of advice. "Be careful. The road back to town has a lot of icy spots." He paused a moment. "I'm glad this is your case and not mine. It looks like a tough one. But not for you and Marvin; I bet you already have a couple of leads, right?"

  Juergen then realized what Marvin had meant about being a laughing stock if they failed to solve this case. " Ja. We are going to check out a lead right now."

  ***

  Just before they arrived at downtown Grantville, Marvin looked up from the material he had been studying. "Pull over. I want you to look at this." Juergen stopped the car and Marvin handed him the legal pad. "Tell me what you think."

  Juergen studied the writing. It was block print. The letters were hand-written, with the letters were written in groups that should have been words, but they were not words. It was gibberish or maybe some kind of code. "It doesn't make sense does it, Marvin? It is written like an American would write, but it is not English. And it is not German either."

  Marvin smiled. "It's like a Crypto-quip in the newspaper." When Juergen still looked lost, he continued. "A letter substitution, instead of writing A for A, you write B and so on." Marvin placed two strips of paper on the pad. "I found these in the back of the pad."

  The two strips were about half an inch wide and the shorter was about six inches long. The longer was about twice that length. Both strips had block printed letters and numbers running their length. On the shorter the letter A was first then B, C, D, and so on until it ended with the number 0. On the longer strip, the lettering started with the number 1 and proceeded to the letter Z, then repeated the entire list.

  "Ah, I see. You substitute 1 for A and so on. Without the key no one can read it. JUERGEN becomes 0KH75D."

  Marvin nodded. "You got it. But we don't know what his starting point was. With just these two strips there's a possible thirty-six codes, depending on where he started."

  "And he might have made another strip one that started with B and ended with A for example," Juergen noted.

  "Yes. Or maybe even one with the letters scrambled. We'll just drop this one in the chief's lap. Maybe he can figure it out or take it to the Army and let them do it."

  "You think Pickles was a spy, don't you?"

  Marvin looked disgusted. "Yeah. And that's all we need to make this case a real loser. We might never figure out who killed him or why. Besides, even if we do figure it out the perp will be long gone. Damn, I hate murder cases."

  Juergen re-started the car. "Are we still going to see Pastor Kastenmayer?"

  "Yeah. We'll do what we can, but I bet this one isn't going to get solved easily. Maybe not ever. Stop at the police station; we'll drop the pack, the legal pad and the code key off for the chief to look at."

  For the rest of the drive Juergen thought about what Marvin had said. He had heard all the stories people were telling about spies and had discounted most of them. He knew that the leaders of the other nations of Europe wanted to know what was going on in Grantville so there would be some spies. He had never expected to find himself in the middle of dealing with one.

  Just as they were pulling into the station parking lot, the chief's Jeep appeared behind them. Marvin jumped out of the car and flagged him down. After a quick conference he was back in the car. "On to Saint Martins. The boss is calling in someone from the Army to look at the legal pad."

  ***

  Juergen was very careful driving through town. There were areas of ice and piled snow on the streets that got worse as they neared the other side of town and wound their way up the hill that marked the other side of the Ring of Fire area.

  ***

  Juergen was pleased to see Pastor Kastenmayer standing by the door of Saint Martin's in the Fields Lutheran Church. It appeared he had just finished sweeping snow off the steps.

  "Pastor Kastenmayer, may we speak to you?" Juergen called.

  " Ja," the pastor answered, "I just finished here, though it looks like a lost cause. There will be more snow."

  "Pastor, this is my partner, Corporal Marvin Tipton. We would like to ask you some questions."

  The pastor extended his hand. "I am very happy to meet you, Herr Corporal Tipton. I am always glad to help the police."

  Marvin shook the pastor's hand. "Pastor, we want to ask about one of your flock. Well, we think he's one of your flock." Marvin pulled out the Polaroid that showed the victims face without showing too much of the wound. "We wanted to check if you knew this man. Juergen thought he had been in church for the last couple of weeks."

  The pastor studied the photo. "This man is dead?" When Marvin nodded he continued, "I will say a prayer for his soul. He is Heinrich Grun. He first came to our church two weeks ago. He had letters from a pastor in Luebeck and another in Magdeburg introducing him as a good Lutheran."

  Marvin looked closely at the pastor. "Sir, the way you said that it sounds like you had a few doubts?"

  " Ja. From my conversations with him, I felt he was not, shall we say, a true believer."

  "I see. So he was just going through the motions?"

  Pastor Kastenmayer chuckled. "I like that turn of phrase. Ja, he was just going through the motions."

  "Sir," Juergen interrupted, "can you think of any reason he would have had this?" He held up the rosary by its chain, so it dangled from his hand.

  "As a Lutheran, there is no reason Herr Grun would have a rosary. But it is silver, so it may have been loot. He was, or had been, a soldier. He never told me that, but from the way he acted I knew."

  "One last question, Pastor," Marvin said. "Do you know where he was living and working here in Grantville?"

  " Nein. I know he had found work, but I do not know what he was doing. As for where he lived, I think he had rented a… what you call a small mobile home. But I don't know where."

  Marvin flipped his notebook shut. "Thank you. You've been a help. Now at least we know who Heinrich was."

  "It is nothing. Tell me, Herr Tipton, do you attend church? Are you a member of a congregation?"

  "Yes, sir. I've been a member of the Methodist Church since I was twenty."

  " Ja, gut. And your wife? You are married?"

  Marvin answered realizing the pastor was looking for converts. "My wife, and my son, Danny are also Methodists. Thank you again for your time. We have to run."

  At the car Marvin moved to the driver's side door, "It's still my day to drive." Juergen handed over the keys reluctantly.

  Once the two were buckled in, Juergen grinned at Marvin's discomfiture. "We are a small church. Like any good pastor he wants to make us a big church." Then in a more serious note added, "Marvin, I do not think that rosary was loot. If Pickles had it as loot I think it would have been in his pack, not a pocket."

  The radio interrupted, "Dispatch to Patrol Two."<
br />
  Juergen answered, "Patrol Two."

  "The chief has just changed your radio call sign to Investigator One. So go investigate, over."

  That was Mimi Carson, one of the dispatchers. Juergen thought he heard a laugh in the background. It seemed that the rest of the department was expecting the case to be already solved. "Investigator One, clear."

  Marvin hit the steering wheel. "Now it starts. I told you we were in for a little ribbing. If we don't solve this, we'll be the butt of jokes for the next couple of years."

  " Ja… but I did not think it would start so soon."

  "I think we should swing by the Medical Center and see how Doc Adams is doing on the autopsy. He might give us a clue. If not, all we have left is Ape and Monkey."

  "We know we can find Ape and Monkey at the 250 Club later tonight, if no one spots them earlier. There is no sense in scouring the town for them."

  Marvin grunted and drive toward the Medical Center. Juergen could tell that Marvin was not looking forward to a trip to the 250 Club. He started to say something but was interrupted by the radio, again. "Dispatch to Investigator One."

  "Investigator One."

  "We have a medical emergency at the water works. The ambulance is out of service on another call. Code three."

  "Investigator One, on our way." Juergen switched on the lights and siren.

  ***

  They were met at the water plant by a young woman who was obviously flustered. "Where is the ambulance? We don't need the police. We need an ambulance."

  Marvin tried to calm her down. "Stacey, what's the problem? Take a deep breath and tell us slowly."

  Stacey continued yelling. "We don't have time for this. Where is the ambulance? Nancy O'Reilly just went into labor. We have to get her to the Medical Center."

  Juergen was already on the radio. "Investigator One to Dispatch. We have a woman in labor. We will transport; alert the medical center."

  "Run and open the door of the water plant," Marvin said. "I'll get the car as close as possible."

  Juergen ran to the door as Marvin dove back in the car. He heard Stacey, still yelling in the parking lot. "Why today? She was just here to pick up the water records to make up the bills. You can't put her in a car; we need the ambulance."

  ***

  The entire staff was gathered around an obviously pregnant woman who was lying on the counter. "Frau O'Reilly, we have a police car beside the door. Do you want us to take you to the Medical Center?"

  "Yessss," the pregnant woman answered in a shrill voice. "I think it's time. The baby is coming."

  Marvin came through the door carrying a blanket. "Quick! We'll get the blanket under her and carry her to the car." Marvin's plan proved impossible though, when Mrs. O'Reilly screamed. "Now! The baby is coming now!"

  Juergen ran to the counter and scooped Mrs. O'Reilly up, one arm under her knees and one under her shoulders. "Get the door, Marvin."

  The car was so close to the door that it was a few steps before Juergen had slid Mrs. O'Reilly into the back seat. Marvin got behind the wheel and Juergen called, "Drive fast! I am not a midwife."

  ***

  Marvin tore through the streets of Grantville. He was spurred on by the sounds of Mrs. O'Reilly's grunting, gasping, and moaning in the back seat. Just as they reached the Medical Center parking lot, he heard the soft, then loud and healthy cries, of a new born.

  "It's a boy, Frau O'Reilly. A healthy boy," Juergen said as he pulled up to the emergency room doors.

  Two nurses whisked Mrs. O'Reilly and her new son out of the car and on to a gurney. Marvin and Juergen were left standing there with stunned looks on their faces as mother and child disappeared in to the emergency room.

  " Da-a-a-mn," Marvin said in an awe-filled voice. "I've been a cop for over twenty years and that's a first. You did good, Partner. Real good."

  "I… I did very little. Frau O'Reilly did all the work. All I did was keep her calm."

  "Well, you handled that like an old pro. Been a midwife before?"

  Juergen grinned. "Only for a sow delivering piglets. I do not think we should tell that to Frau O'Reilly."

  ***

  "I saw Doc Adams heading for the emergency room," Marvin said. "So we can run past the office and see if the chief has anything and catch the doc later."

  " Ja, we should see the chief. Then we still need to find Ape and Monkey."

  "Yeah, and we need to find out where Heinrich was living."

  ***

  As soon as the two had exited the car at the police station, someone yelled, "Hey, Marvin. I heard you were looking for me. Well, here I am."

  Juergen turned and saw Ape Hart and his brother, Monkey.

  Marvin answered, "We have a few questions about a friend of yours."

  "Ask away. We have places to go and people to see, so let's get this over with."

  "Inside." Marvin waved toward the police station. "We can use a nice warm interview room instead of standing out here in the cold."

  "Sure, Marvin. That's what I like about you. You're always so reasonable." Then Ape pretended to see Juergen for the first time. "Hi Off-I-c-er Neu-b-e-rt." Ape stretched his name out. "I haven't seen you for a while. We still have some unfinished business." Then Ape and Monkey headed for the door.

  "Do you want to question them separately or together?" Juergen asked in a low voice.

  Marvin thought for a moment. "Together, for now. Ape will want to show off for Monkey, so we might get more out of him than if they are apart. If he starts pulling Monkey's strings too much, we can split them up."

  ***

  Marvin led the way into an interview room and soon the four men were seated at the table. "Ape, Monkey, Officer Neubert has a few questions for you."

  "Sure, then you get to sit back and watch us. I'm on to your tricks Marvin," Ape answered. "Watch him, Monkey. He's a sneaky old bird."

  Marvin laughed. "No flies on you, are there, Ape? Go ahead, Officer Neubert."

  Juergen slid the picture of Heinrich Grun across the table. "Herr Hart, do you know this man?"

  Ape looked at the picture. Then he really looked at the picture. "That's Pickles Grun. I wondered why he didn't show up for work today. Look, Monkey. Isn't that Pickles?"

  Monkey took the picture and nodded. "Sure as the world. That's Pickles. He looks deader than a rock, too."

  Ape had to get a dig in. "When he starts to rot, he'll be a real sour Kraut." Ape laughed at his own joke which started Monkey laughing.

  Juergen tried to get the interview back under control. "Where do you know him from?"

  "Why, from here in town. Where else? This is where we live." Ape paused, then continued. "Look, Neubert. First off, Pickles wasn't my friend. He just worked for me and I rented him a camp trailer. Second, me and Monkey didn't have anything to do with him getting killed, so I resent you and Marvin here telling every cop in town to look for us. We ain't murderers, as much as you'd like to think so."

  "Herr Hart, I never said you were a murderer. We just want to find out all we can about Herr Grun. You said he worked for you. Where is that, and what did he do?"

  Ape grinned. "Shoot. Everyone knows me and Monkey are in the primer and percussion cap business. We make primers to reload cartridges and caps for cap locks. Call Paul Santee or Henry Johnson; they both buy from us. I bet every cartridge you cops buy has our primers in them."

  "Yes, Ape. I had heard something like that." Marvin leaned forward. "Talk has it you and your brother blew-up about half of Salt Lick Run."

  Ape looked a little defensive. "Ah… uh, the explosion wasn't our fault. It was the Krauts we had working for us that messed up. We weren't even there."

  Marvin leaned back in his chair. "Ape, you surprise me. If I remember correctly you did well to finish high school and Monkey dropped out. Now here you're doing something that takes a working knowledge of chemistry."

  Monkey laughed. "It don't take no chemistry. Just mixing stuff together."

  "Which m
ight explain the explosion," Marvin said.

  Ape slapped the back of his brother's head. "Shut up, Monkey." Then he tried to explain. "Rodney Jessup set it up before he went to Magdeburg. He's our other partner. We're making mercury fulminate. We got a nice little setup over east of town, in a barn. Rodney sends us the mercury and nitric acid from Magdeburg and we make the alcohol ourselves."

  Juergen had to ask. "You do this yourselves?"

  Ape gave him a condescending look. "Of course not, Neubert. We have, oh, ten or fifteen Krauts working for us. That stuff is dangerous to mix. And it is touchy while it's drying. It'll blow your hand off if you're not careful. Me and Monkey wouldn't touch it."

  "And Heinrich Grun worked for you? Making this fulminate of mercury?"

  "Yes, Pickles worked for us. He was one smart kraut. I was about to move him up to foreman."

  "Herr Hart, could Pickles have gotten some of this fulminate and taken it out of your barn?"

  "Sure. Though why he'd want to, I don't know. Even dry, it's pretty nasty stuff. It only takes a pinch to set off a cartridge and we don't make more than an ounce or two at a time."

  Ape jumped up from his chair. "I see where you're going with this. You're trying to say me or Monkey killed him for stealing from us. Neubert, you're almost as sneaky as Marvin. Well, it won't work, boy. We were at the barn all day today and we have witnesses to prove it. Nice Kraut witnesses, just to make you happy."

  Juergen also stood. "I don't think you killed Pickles, but I do think he stole from you. And why do you call him Pickles?"

  Monkey started laughing. "His name was Heinz Green. What should we call him, catsup?"

  Ape looked at his brother in disgust. "Shut up, Monkey. This is serious." Then he looked at Marvin. "We're done here. We have nothing more to say."